CMHR rejects Jewish organization’s allegations of foreign interference in exhibit about Palestinians

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights has said B’nai Brith’s allegations of foreign interference in connection with an upcoming exhibit are unfounded, after the Jewish organization asked the museum to investigate a meeting about the exhibit between its leaders and a Palestinian ambassador in 2024.

On Tuesday, the National Post published an email from 2024 between Ramsey Zeid, the Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba president and museum officials, including vice-president of exhibitions, Matthew Cutler and CEO Isha Khan.

The correspondence appears to show plans for a meeting between museum team members and Mona Abuamara, Palestine’s ambassador to Canada, while she was at the museum in December 2024, including discussions about the exhibit, titled Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present.

B’Nai Brith has previously raised concerns about the exhibit, saying the museum failed to properly consult with members of the Jewish community in its development and said the meeting has amplified those concerns.

“The CMHR is a Crown corporation. It’s mandated under legislation to provide an unbiased narrative on human rights,” said B’nai Brith director of research and advocacy, Richard Robertson.

“When you have the representative of a foreign government engaging with the museum about one of its exhibits, it really calls the efficacy and transparent nature of the museum’s work into question.”

Although B’nai Brith said the role of the official “remains unclear,” the organization wants the museum to delay the June 27 opening of the exhibit until an investigation is conducted and it consults further with members of the Jewish community.

“This only heightens our position that there has been a lack of transparency throughout this process,” Robertson said. “It’s left the Jewish community really feeling as if its opinions have been made to be secondary to those of other people, and even potentially, to a foreign government.”

Robertson said the B’nai Brith believes the exhibit has to go “back to the drawing board” with those voices factored in. He said attempts to have an open dialogue with museum officials have been unsuccessful.

However, museum officials denied the claim of foreign interference outright and called them “unfounded.”

“This exhibit about the human rights experiences of Palestinian Canadians has been in development for over four years and has followed the same robust curation process that we have followed for all our exhibitions and gallery content.”

“We stand behind our curatorial process,” said museum spokesperson Amanda Gaudes in an emailed statement.

“This exhibit about the human rights experiences of Palestinian Canadians has been in development for over four years and has followed the same robust curation process that we have followed for all our exhibitions and gallery content.”

The statement also said the museum has “met with and been in dialogue” with members of the Jewish community who have expressed concerns, including B’nai Brith.

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“We have attempted to clear up misconceptions about the focus of the exhibit, and have undertaken additional review of our research by external scholars.”

The museum said it will follow up with B’nai Brith to address the issued statement, saying the exhibit is within its mandate to “foster thoughtful reflection and dialogue about human rights.”

It notes the museum has hosted more than “150 dignitaries and government representatives from around the world over the past two years,” saying that’s part of the work it does “promoting Canadian heritage and values,” but the dignitaries have no say on museum operations.

“We regularly receive opinions and feedback about our content — and it’s not unusual for us to face criticism — however, we always exercise curatorial independence.”

morgan.modjeski@freepress.mb.ca

Morgan Modjeski
Reporter Signal

Morgan Modjeski is a news reporter and multimedia producer for the Free Press.  Read more about Morgan.

Every piece of reporting Morgan produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.